This Abandoned Ghost Town In Alaska Is Loaded With History
By Courtney|Published October 22, 2016
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Courtney
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Living and loving life in Alaska, Courtney enjoys living a happy life based on simple principles; work hard, be kind, stay humble. She is an avid dog lover with hobbies that include running, fly fishing, hiking & snowboarding.
There is positively no denying that Prince of Wales Island in Alaska is one of the most beautiful places in the world. As the fourth largest island in the United States, this stunningly beautiful piece of paradise is nestled beautifully on the shores of the Alaska Panhandle and is covered in the lush rainforest of the Tongass National Forest. However, even the most pristine places have deep, dark secrets. Read on to learn all about the chilling past of Alaska’s abandoned ghost town of Sulzer.
This abandoned town was named after William Sulzer. Well known in both Alaska and New York, Mr. Sulzer is responsible for forming the Alaska Industrial Company, which is the company that developed copper mines.
The shores of Hetta Inlet on Prince of Wales Island is where the copper mining dream was set to go into action. This site moved on to be a bustling headquarters for the mines to the south of the inlet.
Jumbo Mine was active from 1907 to 1918 and during its peak it was one of Alaska's largest copper producers. For a while after the copper boom it was used as a cannery and fishing site. Today, however, it is nothing more than an abandoned ghost town that can be very difficult to reach.
Along with William Sulzer's brother Charles in a management role, the two went on to successfully play a part in operating Jumbo Mine, just a few miles to the south of Hetta Inlet on Jumbo Mountain.
No industry or life (besides wildlife) remains in Sulzer and the harsh weather conditions that Alaska is known for continues to destroy a little more of the remnants with each year that passes.
As with just about everything in Alaska, there is incredible beauty to be found even in the darkest of places. Although this abandoned ghost town doesn't offer much twinkle in the eye today, it is still located in a beautiful slice of paradise and it holds a pivotal part of Alaska's copper mining history.